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Please be sure to read the product label of any insecticide you choose to use to get information on the personal protective safety gear you will need. In most situations, it is recommended that you wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, closed toe shoes with socks, chemical resistant gloves, and goggles. In areas where ventilation is poor, a manufacturer may recommend you wear a mask or a respirator. We have put together two different safety kits that will make selecting the correct safety gear easier for you.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit Fly Treatment & Control Guide

Find the Food Source

The Key To Getting Rid of Fruit Flies

The key to getting rid of fruit flies is finding their food source. Failure to find the source can lead to a quick reinfestation as new fruit flies invade the area looking for the food source. Once the source has been found and eliminated you can get rid of the adults by space spraying, fogging or by using fruit fly traps.

Step1

Eliminate The Breeding & Feeding Sources

In all pest control programs, sanitation is key to controlling and eliminating pests. You can use all the sprays and traps in the world to eliminate fruit flies, but you must remove or clean the breeding/feeding sources of the pest in order to completely eliminate the pest. Most sanitation measures are common sense: Fruit flies require fruit, vegetables or other decaying organic material to complete the life cycle. The goal of sanitation should be to eliminate as much of this material as possible. This includes:

Keep trash in a receptacle with a tight-fitting lid

Clean trash receptacles

Promptly dispose of rotting produce

Store edible produce in plastic containers

Clean food spills or messes that were found during the inspection

Clean under floor mats or rugs

Re-grout damaged grout around tiles to prevent water seepage into walls where fruit flies may breed

Wipe down counters with an appropriate cleaner

Mop floors with an appropriate cleaner

Clean sink and floor drains where food matter may have gathered with drain gel

Pro Tip

Wash produce when you bring it into your home or business to get rid of any potential eggs that may be on it. Eat produce as soon as possible to prevent fruit flies from being attracted to it.

Products needed for Step 1

Use Fruit Fly Sprays, Lights, and Traps

There are a few different methods that you can choose from to get rid of fruit flies. You can get rid of the adult fruit flies with a contact spray or a fogger, you can use disposable fruit fly traps or you can use fly lights.

Pro Tip

In homes and businesses where fruit flies have been a consistent problem, it is recommended that an insect growth regulator be applied once every 30 days to help break the infestation cycle. Insect growth regulators stop immature fruit flies from being able to form into breeding adults. Insect growth regulators come in concentrated liquids and ready to use aerosols and are usually applied to cracks and crevices in infested rooms.

Products needed for Step 2

Space spray or fogging

Products or tools needed:

Pyrethrin aerosol spray or ready to use fogger

Space spray refers to spraying a contact kill aerosol bug spray product directly into the air instead of directing the product onto a surface. Usually only pyrethrin aerosols are labeled for this use. A space spray may be desirable if you have a space that is too small to use a fogger in or if you would like to have a fast knockdown spray on hand for later use. A fogger would be a better if you have a larger area to treat

A space spray or a fogger is a good choice if you have a lot of fruit fly activity inside and you need to get rid of the fruit flies quickly. With this method, you will eliminate any fruit flies that are out during the application but you will not leave behind an active residual. Following the product label instructions, apply the spray or fogger in the infested room. Most space sprays and foggers require you to vacate the room after the application and ventilate before re-entry. Please refer to the product label for re-entry requirements.

Products needed for Step 1

Fly Lights

A Fly Light Trap is an insect trap that uses powerful ultraviolet rays to attract flies and other flying insect pests which then are captured on a glueboard, without the use of insecticides.

Using a fly light is very helpful for those homes and businesses where fruit flies are a common issue or when the use of insecticides is not allowed or desirable. Fly lights come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, shapes and prices. Selecting the correct location for this type of device is critical and should be carefully considered before installation. When installing a fly light be sure to install it away from sensitive areas. This will help draw flies away from areas where they could irritate people or contaminate food products. Fly lights should also be placed away from doors and windows that open to the outside to reduce flies being attracted to the competing light sources. You should read the product label of the fly light you choose for optimum placement information.

NOTE: Glue boards should be checked on a weekly basis. Glue boards that are dusty or full of insects are ineffective and should be changed. The ultraviolet light bulbs in fly light traps need to be replaced on scheduled dates, usually every 4-6 months. These bulbs should be changed even if they have not burned out. Over time the ultraviolet rays become weak and will no longer be attractive to flies. Read product the instruction guide to determine complete maintenance requirements for each individual device.

Products needed for Step 2

Fruit Fly Traps

Products or tools needed:

Fruit Fly Traps

Fruit fly traps are economical, low maintenance, non-toxic and pesticide free, and most contain a fruit based attractant to lure fruit flies into the trap. Fruit fly traps generally come ready to use and should be changed every 30 days. These traps are a great choice for folks that keep lots of fresh produce in their homes and can even be placed directly into fruit bowls. These traps can help monitor a fruit fly infestation and can help reduce the fruit fly population by up to 80%.